Leafs send Komisarek to Marlies; recall Hamilton

Mike Komisarek celebrates a Toronto goal during a game against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on December 26, 2010 in Newark, New Jersey. GETTY IMAGES/Paul Bereswill.

Tim Connolly is set to see a familiar face on the ice.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek cleared waivers Thursday and will report to the club’s AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, while forward Ryan Hamilton has been recalled from the Marlies and will travel with the team to Buffalo.

The Leafs face the Sabres Thursday night.

The veteran Komisarek waived his no-movement clause and was put on waivers Wednesday. He had been a healthy scratch since Feb. 2.

In four games for the Leafs this season, the big 31-year-old registered zero points and two penalty minutes.

A league source told Sportsnet 590 The Fan’s David Alter that Komisarek no longer wished to sit in the press box. A stint with the Marlies offers Komisarek an opportunity to showcase his skills and possibly get recalled by the Leafs or moved to another club.

The West Islip, N.Y., native was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens seventh overall in 2001 and played his first six seasons in the league with the Habs. In July 2009, Komisarek signed a five-year contract with the Leafs with an annual salary cap hit of $4.5 million.

Komisarek will join fellow veteran Tim Connolly on the Marlies, whose next game is Friday against the Chicago Wolves. Connolly, also 31, cleared waivers on Jan. 18, prior to the start of the NHL season. The centreman has scored five goals and five assists in 20 games with the farm team.

Hamilton, 27, will get his second shot with the big club this season in anticipation that winger Joffrey Lupul will be suspended for his high hit in Wednesday’s game. Hamilton, an Oshawa, Ont., native, has one assist in three career games with the Leafs. He has 30 goals in 58 games for the Marlies this season.

On Tuesday, the Maple Leafs assigned defenceman Korbinian Holzer to the Marlies and officially recalled Jake Gardiner, who played Wednesday in the Leafs’ 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay.

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